Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  06/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I keep recreiving mailed letters about an extended service contract on my 2022 Malibu that I purchased in September 2022.These letters look like they are coming from the dealership *********************, but they are faking the letterhead.I want NO further contact from this company. I have not done business with them, and I never will.This is deceptive marketing!

  Customer response

  06/12/2023

  Today I received a phone call from this company. They want explain their relationship with my Auto dealership *********************.

  I do NOT want to hear from them again. I am asking them to stop all contact with me. Take me off their mail, phone and any other lists they have advertising their warranty.

  I do not need a warranty on my car, it is still under warranty.

  Business response

  06/22/2023

  After receiving the complaint, we tried contacting the consumer via phone to no avail. After 2 attempts we sent an email. In the email we explained to the consumer that we have been providing services to ********************* since 2014. In fact, the President of the dealership is who enrolled the dealership in our program by signing a contract for our services. We perform marketing and call center services for over ***** new car franchise dealers throughout the United ****** as well as several Original Equipment Manufacturers.  We requested from the consumer more information as to why the consumer felt we did not have an actual relationship with the dealer. Our reason for requesting this information was to determine whether it was an assumption, or if the consumer may have been misinformed by someone at the dealership. Once in a while an employee at our partner dealerships will mistakenly misinform a consumer. In a case such as this, we have a team of trainers that contact the dealership staff to retrain them on the program. The consumer's reply was that they did not care and just wanted us to stop bothering them with all of the solicitations. In reviewing our records, we actually only sent two solicitations to the consumer. The consumer may have received other offers for mechanical repair coverage but those would not have come from us.  We did inform the consumer in our email we added him to our suppression files so as to never market the consumer again per his wishes.  

  Customer response

  06/23/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  04/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I received an email from ********************************** on February 13, 2023 stating that my vehicle service contract was expiring and that I could call them at ************ to see if there "may still be time" to "obtain additional coverage". I called the company several times in February, March, and April of 2023 and the representatives told me various things such as that they "promised' they would call me back to discuss if my vehicle was eligible, and then during later phone calls that I made to the company to try to find out about this coverage, the representatives telling me that my vehicle's warranty was expired so I was not "eligible". The company gave me fraudulent information because my vehicle's warranty does not actually expire until April 26, 2023 so this would not be a legitimate reason to deny me "additional coverage". The representatives also tried to tell me that perhaps my vehicle was a salvage vehicle so thus would not be eligible for coverage, even though I explained to the representatives that my vehicle was definitely not a salvage vehicle. The company also caused unnecessary stress and worry by saying each time I called that someone would get back to me with further explanation or information but not following through on this. The company should not be in business.

  Business response

  04/28/2023

  We contacted the customer regarding this complaint. Prior to calling were able to determine the issue that caused the inability to price the vehicle. The customer had a plan currently in place that was set to expire in April of 2023. We sent a mailer to the customer informing her of the forthcoming expiration. Our company provides marketing and sales services for new car franchise dealerships. We must follow the rules provided to us as to product eligibility as provided by the dealership. In this case the dealer made a decision to limit the vehicle eligibility only to vehicles that are under the original factory warranty. The issue is we had already sent the customer an expiration communication. The pricing engine is supplied through a technological data integration. Thus, our sales reps could not understand why prices would not show up for her vehicle. The rep though that possibly the vehicle had a salvage title but was able to look that up and determine that was not the case. Moreover, once it was identified that the new eligibility guidelines were causing the issue the customer was confused by the difference between the original factory warranty versus the extended coverage she had purchased which did not expire until April of 2023. Her vehicle was still covered, but not by the original factory warranty which was the new eligibility guideline. We went back to the dealership and were able to get them to open the eligibility back up considering the customer's vehicle was still under an active plan. We explained all of this to the customer and actually sold her a very deeply discounted plan as a result of the confusion caused by the sudden change in eligibility.  I just talked to the customer, she was very appreciative of how quickly we jumped on getting the issue resolved and more importantly getting back into a new plan prior to the current plan expiring. 

  Customer response

  04/28/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  02/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was contacted by APC Automotive sales agent **** who inferred that due to the change of dealership from ***** ********* which sold to ********** ***** I would need extended warranty auto coverage purportedly upon the advice of new owners ***** ********, Vice President of ***** ** ********* *******. The APC Automotive warranty coverage deposit of $200 was charged to my credit card 12/19/22 obtained for a 4 year, 90,000 mile protection plan. There was to be a 30 day or 500 mile waiting period before the plan took effect. In the interim I contacted **** ***** from which I had a 6 year, 75,000 mile plan *********** purchased with ***** ********* on 9/20/17. They assured me that my plan was still in effect thru 9/19/23, thus this new plan with APC Automotive was not necessary. When I called to cancel the APC Agreement #********* on 1/26/23 at 3:40 pm, ****** was discourteous and transferred me to **** who gave me a cancel confirmation number of ******** stating my $200 would be refunded to my credit card. I received a letter dated February 14, 2023 from APC Automotive charging $50.08 cancellation fee and a guestimate prorated mileage for the $149.92 balance leaving me with a $0.00 refund. This is theft as there was no coverage for the first 30 days or 500 miles. APC Automotive does not deal truthfully with consumers. I demand $200 be refunded as previously stated.

  Business response

  03/03/2023

  We provided the customer with a full refund. We identified a failure on the part of our customer service representative. The window for a full refund is typically 30 days. Our representative thought the consumer had cancelled 7 days after purchasing when in fact she had called 37 days after purchasing. Our representative read the purchase month incorrectly in the system.  Our representative told her she would receive a full refund and therefore did not enter miles at cancellation into our system. When this occurs our system generates the communication she received so that we can gather that data for a proper refund calculation. However, because we told her she was entitled to a full refund we have now provided her a full refund. The customer was awesome to work with and we sent her a $50 gas card for her inconvenience. 

• Initial Complaint

  02/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The company came to see our car before we ever signed on for a warranty with them. They accepted the car. This company was taking $280.00 out of our account every month for a car warranty. We were having problems with the car. We took the car to the dealer because a light came on. When the dealer called the warranty company, they told them we didn't have a policy. We asked to speak to a supervisor. They told us that the inspection didn't pass; the car wasn't in good enough condition to write a policy. But they took three payments of over $250 out of our account. The repair for the car was over $900.

  Business response

  03/03/2023

  We gave Mr. **** a full refund. We reviewed our internal process for failed inspections and we identified some process enhancements. We contacted the customer directly and he was very satisfied with how we handled the complaint. At this point we confirmed his receipt of the refund. The customer was very understanding of the situation and happy with the resolution. 

• Initial Complaint

  02/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Warranty was to expire on 12/28/2022 for my 2012 Range Rover. Honestly, I forgot I had the warranty because I contracted it 4 years earlier. On 12/21/2022 the air suspension failed on the Range Rover. Land Rover quoted me a $10,000 repair bill. I declined. On 12/22/2022 I found a local repair shop that made the repair for $1900. On or about 12/26/2022 I received a letter from APC reminding me that my warranty coverage would expire on 12/28/2022. I called the number on the letter and described the recent repair I experienced and that I had forgotten that I paid for a warranty. They encouraged me to send the documentation to the claims center and I complied. On 1/31/2023 My claim was denied because I didn't receive prior authorization. While technically correct, I found their response ethically bankrupt given the circumstances outlined. I drastically reduced the cost of the repair and was guilty of forgetting I had warranty coverage (never filed a previous claim!). I bought the policy at a Land Rover dealership and apparently they forgot too! A reasonable company would reimburse the repair minus an appropriate deductible. Ironically they want me to renew the policy

  Business response

  02/14/2023

  After getting the complaint we contacted the customer. We had the customer send the two RO's he had received from the two different shops. After reviewing them we were able to determine that all of the work included in the RO's was for maintenance items which is why the reimbursement was denied. The items needing repair were specifically contained within the "Excluded items" section of the contract. After explaining this to the customer he understood. As a gesture of good will we offered the customer either $2,000 off of a new plan or $750 in reimbursement. The customer chose the $750 direct payment. 

  We already dropped the check in the mail. The customer indicated they will likely sell the vehicle and contact us once they purchase a replacement vehicle.

   

   

  Customer response

  02/15/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I was more than pleasantly surprised by APC's response. Hat's off to ********************* for going above and beyond the call of duty. Great company...will do business with them again! THANKS!!
  *********************************

• Initial Complaint

  08/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I keep receiving letters from ****** **** to purchase an Entended Warranty on a car that we sold them when we purchased a new used car. Have tried to call and get them to stop sending the offers but they keep coming.

  Business response

  08/05/2022

  We see that we have sent marketing communications to the customer. However, since we are an outside provider assisting the dealership with these offers we do not have a record of the customer calling us off of the communications to update the information. I have updated our records that they vehicle has been sold. More than likely the customer contacted the dealership and they failed to let us know to update the marketing database. We have updated the database to avoid any future communications. We apologize for the confusion.

• Initial Complaint

  04/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  United Automotive Services sent me a letter that says the coverage on my car is going to run out. I don’t own a car, nor have I driven the model listed. I would like to know where they got this information about what vehicles I own from.

  Business response

  05/16/2022

  We contacted the customer after receiving the complaint and got his voice mail. We let the customer know where we received the information, a third party list company, and once in a while data does come over with accuracy issues. We have suppressed the record on our side. We also notified the list company of the inaccurate data. They have informed us they have suppressed the record on their side as well. We asked the customer to call back if he had any questions. We have not yet received a call back.

• Initial Complaint

  03/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was contacted on 9/3/21 by a salesman, ******* **** from ********* *********. Mr. **** was selling an extended warranty on my 2016 Hyundai Genesis through what he claimed was my local dealer. He said as soon as I made a payment that day my vehicle would be covered I had him on speaker phone so my parents heard the entire conversation. Mr. **** also stated they would reach out to me if they needed to inspect my vehicle. I made my payment and received warranty info at which I put in my car. I had not heard anything else from the company. They continued withdrawing payments as per our contract. In October I got into my vehicle and started it up and it didn’t sound right. I brought it to the dealer and on 10/8/21 they said I need a new engine and they would handle all the paperwork for me. I was then called by the dealer that the warranty would not honor the repair and I needed to pick up my car or I would need to pay for storage fees. I then contacted the warranty company and they said it was not covered they did not give me a reason why other than state the dealer should cover it. I went back to the dealer and they said the warranty should cover it. I received this run around for almost 4 months now and at one point they offered me my money back at which I said no I want you to honor our contract. They claimed many things like they had wrote the wrong mileage but had to be 1k, then said not enough time for our agreement and now are stating I needed an inspection they did not contact me until 11/11/21 for the inspection well after the time my car was in the shop and the inspector had cancelled it said I was too far for him to drive he would reschedule which he did not. My salesman lied to me saying I was covered from that day forward. The company has done nothing but give me the runaround they also said they record the sales call and would pull it up to confirm what the salesman told me. Then when I talked to them again they said they could no longer help me.

  Business response

  03/23/2022

  We have reviewed the consumers complaint and have determined that the repair in question was a pre-existing condition. The Dealership on whose behalf we sold the contract which the customer took the vehicle has made this determination, the administrator of the contract has also made this determination. Our company does not administer the claims and cannot make decisions on repairs we must rely on the administrator and the repair facility. We have confirmed this position with both Portfolio and Hyundai of Vacaville. We reviewed the recorded phone call with the customer and though we do state the contract is not dependent upon the inspection to be active we also state that Pre-existing conditions are not covered. We also stated that the administrator reserves the right to send a claims adjuster out to inspect repairs, such inspection to determine the source cause of the failure. A pre-existing condition does not need to be one that the customer is aware of but rather mechanically was already failing prior to the purchase of the contract. These determinations are made by adjusters and repair facilities who have the mechanical expertise to determine the cause of the failure. We also stated on the recorded line that the inspection is a form of protection to rule out pre-existing conditions and that a lack of inspection being complete means that early claims will be reviewed for whether or not they were pre-existing. Also, the contract itself clearly stated Pre-existing conditions are not covered.

  The dealership is the ******* to the contract and the Dealership as the repair facility has denied the repair. we cannot override this determination since they are the mechanical experts. However what we can do which we have already offered was to provide the customer with a full refund. The customer turned down the refund. At this point we are still in a position to refund the customer but we are not in a position to be able to cover the repair based on the determinations made by the repair facility and the administrator.

• Initial Complaint

  02/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I called in to nake a payment on 2/23. I spoke with ****** and she asked me to verify my address, I hesitated for a second and she read me the whole address . When I asked her about nicely,it she just kept talking over me. then called in today 2/24, and spoke with ***** who took my payment for me since I cpuld not log into my account. I had asked if she could send me a password reset request, and she said no. I found out that was a lie.Also asked the manager and never got anything. ***** was very rude as well and made me wait on hold for at least 5 minutes everytime I waited on hold.When I asked *******,the Admin lead for a confirmation of my payment,she told me that the payment went through and told me I had been charged six dollars over my agreed payment amount. I let her know the amount was wrong and she and Jim apologized and basically told me it was *****'s fault and I asked to void the payment. When I called back 15 minutes later since I was having problems logging into the website,Jim apologized and told me ******* had read me the wrong info, and another woman with my exact name had made a payment that day and she got them mixed up!! This is beyond frustrating to me. I had to cancel my payment because of this! I also still can't log into my account on the website either, after numerous requests for help. Everytime I speak with management, *** * and ******* , they keep telling me they reset my password to my last name +zip and to try that option to log in . They have tried this 4 times and it doesn't work. I have asked to speak with someone from IT multiple times and they refuse. ******* told me she was the only person that could help me. *** *. also let me know he logged into my customer account, and it worked for him! I never gave him any permission to do that. Today,2/25, I called in to make my payment for the second time because my payment is due in two days and I don't want a late fee. I just want to be able to log into my account.

  Business response

  03/14/2022

  After receiving the complaint we contacted the customer. Prior to the complaint being filed we did actually collect the payment. The only additional resolution needed was to make sure she had a working login to the website to make future payments. We also sent the customer a $50 gas card due to her troubles. The payment plan software is hosted by a third party software company. Because we were struggling to get her in over the phone we decided to have the software company contact the customer to help her with the login. Despite calling the number provided to the BBB and speaking with the customer on Friday February 25th, 2022, calls since are not being answered and the line says the number is no longer available. Moreover, we have sent emails with no reply. We have made multiple attempts to assist the customer with the login but are unable to get any return response. We cannot assist with the login without a connection. At this point we are deeming this matter closed until such time the customer is able to respond to either us or the software company to assist her with the login. We are not sure what happened considering we were able to reach the customer on the first call on 2/25/22.

  Customer response

  04/28/2022

  The president of the company called me and I was not able to talk to him.  My phone was hacked so I wasn't able to be contacted.  I have sent emails to them and was told someone would contact me by this week and no one has.  I don't have access to my account and I can't look at anything.  They told me the software company would contact me and nothing has happened.  I just want to resolve this. 

  Customer response

  04/29/2022

  The company called me and they have resolved my issues. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩